Healthy Skepticism Library item: 11302

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Drug firms go direct in UK
Pharmacy Daily (Australia) - registration required 2007 Aug 28
http://www.pharmacydaily.com.au

Full text:

BRITISH pharmacy groups are strongly opposed to an increasing trend in the UK for drug companies to offer home delivery of medications direct to patients.

It’s estimated that direct delivery is growing at up to 15% per year, with the UK Times newspaper reporting that logistical difficulties associated with the distribution of biologics is also contributing to the growth.

The report says the practice is now being used in some cases by Roche, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis, with estimates that home delivery may now comprise as much as 5% of the total UK market for pharmaceuticals.

Another factor is the way that health is funded in the UK, with a loophole in tax laws meaning that
local health trusts are able to avoid VAT on home delivered medications.